Astounding Science Fiction, British Edition, December 1955 — page 105: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE LONG WAY HOME 103 The black armor swooped close. Langley jumped back as it came through the window. It landed with a thump that quivered in the floor. “What the hell—’’ Langley stepped closer. One metal-gauntleted hand reached up, unfastened the blocky helmet, slapped it back. A huge nose poked from a tangle of red hair. “Valti!” | “In the flesh,”’ said the trader. “‘Quite a bit of flesh too, eh?” He polarized the window as he ordered it shut. ‘““How are you, captain? You look rather weary.” | oT ... am.” Slowly, the spaceman felt his heartbeat pick up, and there was a tautness gathering along his nerves. ““What do you want?’ “A little chat, captain, merely a little private discussion. Fortunately, we . do keep some regulation Solar equipment at the office—Chanthavar’s men are getting infernally interested in our movements, it’s hard to elude them. I trust we may talk undisturbed?” ““Ye-e-es. I think so. But—” “No refreshment, thank you. I have to be gone as soon as possible. Things are starting to happen again.’ Valti chuckled and rubbed his hands together. ““Yes, indeed. I knew the Society had tentacles in high places, but I never thought our influence was so great.” “C-c-c—”’ Langley stopped, took a deep breath, and forced himself into a chilly calm. “Get to the point, will you? What do you want?” “To be sure. Captain, do you like it here? Have you quite abandoned your idea of making a new start elsewhere?” “So I’m being offered that again. Why?” “Ah ... my chiefs have decided that Saris Hronna and the nullifier effect are not to be given up without a struggle. I have been ordered to have him removed from confinement. Believe it or not my orders were accom- panied by authentic, uncounterfeitable credentials from the Technon. Obviously, we have some very clever agents high in the government of Sol, perhaps in the Servants corps. They were able to give the machine false data such that it automatically concluded its own best interests lay in getting Saris away from Chanthavar.”’ Langley went over to the service robot and got a stiff drink. Only after he had it down did he trust himself to speak. “‘And you need me,” he said. “Yes, captain. The operation will be hazardous in all events. If Chan- thavar finds out, he will naturally take it on himself to stop everything till he can question the Technon further—then, in the light of such fresh data, it will order an investigation and learn the truth. So we must act fast. You will be needed as Saris’ friend in whom he has confidence, and the possessor of an unknown common language with him—he must know ours already— so he will know what we are about and codperate with us.” The Technon! Langley’s brain spun. What fantastic new scheme had that thing hatched now? “I suppose,” he said slowly, ‘“‘we’ll be going to Cygni first as you origin- ally planned.” “No.” The plump face tightened, and there was the faintest quaver in Comicbooksteom *